Dunedin to rebuild Clearwater ferry dock with $828K federal grant after hurricanes

Lawmakers plan to fund Dunedin Pier rebuilding

It's been over a year and a half since hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged the Dunedin Pier and now a plan for repairs is on the horizon. FOX 13's Heather Healy reports

DUNEDIN, Fla - Federal funding of $828,000 will rebuild Dunedin’s ferry dock after damage from both hurricanes Milton and Helene.

What we know:

It is going to be presented by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, or PSTA, in the city of Dunedin. 

The money will specifically reconstruct the portion of the pier used by PSTA's Clearwater Ferry, having a permanent dock for the ferry service, which is a big tourism link around Pinellas County.

Dig deeper:

The Clearwater Ferry has made stops at the pier since 2018, connecting the city with Clearwater Beach to downtown Clearwater. 

When Hurricane Helene hit and destroyed the pier back in 2024, Dunedin ferry service was halted for more than a year. 

Fast-forward to October 2025, service resumed with a temporary dock. But with the funding being presented today, a full permanent dock will be in its place within months.

What they're saying:

"The livelihood of this community is all based on our tourism, and so having that restored and that back up to full speed is a very important part of our economic engine," said Dunedin Vice Mayor Robert Walker.

 "If you take a look at it, what the ferry brings to this is that it brings the ability expanded access for those tourists. Specifically, it removes congestion from the roadways. It alleviates a significant parking problem we have here in Dunedin. So this is huge," he added.

What's next:

A ceremony took place to present the $828,000 on the pier, and it's going to be put to good use as this pier is going to be fixed within the next few months.